Forum attracted less than two dozen including faculty, staff students and former attendees who heard Smithgroup consultants indicate most major development will likely end up on the west side of the County
Yavapai Community College held its second Master Plan public forum on the east side of the County November 14 on the Verde Campus in a one-hour afternoon session. The purpose was to share information about the progress of the Smithgroup’s efforts to generate an eight-year development plan for the entire District. And to gather additional public input about the plan.
Attendance was small with a majority of those present having attended the first forum or were College administrators, staff, and faculty. The tiny turn-out may reflect what some fear as a continuing deep-seated apathy about community colleges and post-secondary education at these institutions.
The Smithgroup consultants provided the attendees with a PowerPoint presentation regarding current room usage, location and number of internet student users, and projects under consideration as part of the eight-year plan. As anticipated, the west side of the County led the east by a wide margin in terms of potential project enhancements.
The Smithgroup experts were asked a wide variety of questions that sometimes appeared challenging for them. For example, when asked whether the 13,000 residents of the Verde Villages were included in their east-side analysis, they appeared not to recognize the purpose of the question. Without directly responding, they said they used recent census data, which left the question hanging. The concern, of course, is that the Verde Villages have historically been ignored or omitted in discussions by the Community College when determining east County development —the College appearing to not understand the population of Cottonwood is around 11,000 and the adjacent unincorporated Verde Villages has a population of around 13,000.
To a question about its survey process, the Smithgroup admitted it had not surveyed the general population of the Verde Valley regarding their post-secondary needs. Rather, it said its focus was on current users and current uses.
It appears, at least at this time, that housing, a major issue for the Verde Campus and the Sedona Center, may not be addressed in the eight-year plan. Moreover, the Smithgroup did not seem to grasp the importance of a question put to them from the public about the relationship between destination programs in Sedona and the Verde Campus, overall east campus enrollment, and housing needs.
When the question of enhancing the nursing program on the Verde Campus came up the College Administration said there are about six hundred applicants on a waiting list seeking training. However, the Administration explained that there is a problem finding sufficient clinical experiences for the current enrollment. There was, however, an indication that the College may look to the Prescott Campus for more nursing training. Nothing suggested the nursing program on the Verde Campus would be enhanced despite the long waiting list.
The best news coming out of the meeting was a tentative indication that the College may attempt to enhance the Performing Arts Program on the east side of the County. How much enhancement and where and how was yet to be determined.
(More when slides as posted as promised so you can analyze the presentation for yourself.)